Cashing in on the manchild

‘This Is It’ is just part of an onslaught of new Jackson offerings

“Michael’s management didn’t care about his credibility, only ticket sales,” said Shmuley, who maintains his book is designed to provide insight into the Šprivate‰ Jackson, not to cash in.

“Michael was driven by his insecurities. One of them was that he always had to outdo himself and that he was inadequate. So, he always had to go further, do more. But people don’t understand how broken he was as a result of all the controversy, after the (two) trials (on child molestation charges). A lot of his fans don’t want a human Michael Jackson; they want some divine figure incarnate in a human body.”

That Michael Jackson in his prime changed the face of pop music and culture is undeniable. So is the fact that, after the historic success of his 1982 album “Thriller,” he would spend the rest of his life trying – and repeatedly failing – to match its rare combination of musical excellence and generations-transcending appeal to millions around the world.

But with so many opportunists now seeking to exploit his tragic legacy, the use of “This Is It” as a film, song and album title has a hollow ring. Like “Ben,” the subject of Jackson’s 1972 solo hit, I smell a rat.